Calm Down and Get Your Zentangle On

Zentangle is a self-help art therapy practice to enhance relaxation and focus.

Zentangle® is known to many artists and craftivists as a way to create structured designs through drawing various patterns. Sometimes mistakenly called “Zendoodling” or “tangle doodling,” Zentangling or tangling is actually a formalized process that defines itself as something other than mere doodling because of its theory and approach.

Rick Roberts and Mary Thomas are the originators of the trademarked Zentangle method. Basically, it’s a specific way to draw images, most often in black pen on white paper. Zentangle has become an international phenomenon that now has applications in stress reduction, education, therapy and even motivational training.

Zentangle itself may be relatively new, but the basic principles involved are as old as the history of art. It includes ritual—a core practice in ancient and contemporary arts—and mirrors the symbols, designs, and patterns of numerous cultures (Mayan, Maori, Celtic, and American Indian, for example) from ancient through present times. And like “doodling,” it is based on a human behavior in which one refrains from planning and allows lines and shapes to unintentionally emerge.

There are numerous books on the formal method of Zentangle that will help you get started; these books provide numerous designs and show you how to create various patterns, step-by-step. Or simply search the internet (especially Pinterest) to find instructions and inspiration for designs—then make up your own once you practice a few patterns. You really only need a few materials to create your designs: a pencil (used to mark out guidelines and to shade areas of designs), a black pen (Micron® pens are recommended, but you can also use the ubiquitous extra-fine Sharpie® pen), and heavy white drawing paper or cardstock.

The traditional practice of Zentangling uses 3 ½-inch square tiles made of special paper, but you can cut your own choice of paper into squares or completely “break the rules” and tangle on whatever type of paper you want to. If your children want to Zentangle along with you, they will find it easier to draw larger designs with bigger pens such as a fine point Sharpie® or large felt pens.

Why am I interested in Zentangle? While the process may look intricate, it is a deceptively simple pathway to relaxation and inner focus. In fact, proponents of the practice note that it has multiple benefits including calming an anxious mind, increasing self-confidence, and cultivating moment-to-moment awareness in a similar way as mindfulness meditation. Here are some other benefits:

It’s self-soothing. Repetitive creative work, in and of itself, can be calming and self-soothing. In fact, some of the preliminary research on the Zentangle process indicates that engagement in the process has measurable relaxation benefits. This is particularly true if you accept this process as one with no expected outcome other than the enjoyment of putting the pen to paper and staying open to whatever emerges.

It’s simple. Zentangle art only requires a black pen and paper; you can do it just about anywhere. I can attest to the fact that any airplane flight goes by more pleasurably when I am tangling. Look for things you can tangle on like business cards, coasters and even newspapers (tangle right over the printed pages).

It teaches how to own mistakes. Using a pen on paper requires that you risk making mistakes; in fact, most tangle art has at least some misplaced lines that cannot be erased. Tangling teaches you how to incorporate what seem like “mistakes” into the overall pattern of the design. It’s a great metaphor for everyday life—nothing is ever perfect, but how you adjust to imperfections (mistakes or the unexpected) in life is what really matters.

It reinforces “aimlessness.” Many Zentangle enthusiasts highlight the tangle doodle process as a form of mindfulness. I like to think of tangling as a form of "creative aimlessness." Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh observes that we need to cultivate aimlessness in life rather than continually striving to be “number one.” For example, when we practice walking meditation, we are not trying to arrive anywhere in particular; in fact, if we stay focused on the future, we lose the joy of our steps in the here and now. The same is true of the process of tangling. If we get caught up in judgment and deliberation, we are not in the here and now. But if we simply enjoy the creative process, we can enjoy every single moment of it and that is ultimately what any creative expression offers us. Zentangle teaches us not to rush and to take good care of ourselves in the present moment—after all, the present moment is all there is.

I am not "blogger" per se; I try to write articles that explain things [sometimes in order to explain things to myself!]. The process of Zentangle® made a lot more sense to me, once I thought about it in this way. No wonder so many people enjoy it!

Zentangle (or tangling in general) should come with a warning: Zentangle is Addictive. I'm kidding, kind of. Some of my friends have accused me of being a Zentangle dealer. (Mostly tongue in cheek---but not totally). In any case, I was moved to write a blog post about it. I can share the link if that's permitted or I imagine it wouldn't be that hard to find if anyone is interested.

I loved this post. It is helpful and inspiring. I am fond of zentangle art; it is simple yet interesting. I have recently found this amazing book online by Altered Upcycling. They have shared many new zentangle prints too.
http://www.amazon.com/Zentangle-Inspired-Art-Beginners-Projects-ebook/dp/B00K97YVHM%3FSubscriptionId%3D0ENGV10E9K9QDNSJ5C82%26tag%3Dflatwave-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB00K97YVHM

The NeoPopRealism creator Nadia Russ, from who these zentanglers-doodlers stole the drawing concept idea for their "teaching", told about this type of creativity: "Zentangle-doodling is a virus of tremendous stupidity that easily penetrates into the weak heads enormously increasing their level of ignorance, hiding behind "teaching"."
Nadia Russ is a professional artist, a journalist and a person with pedagogical education and deep knowledge of the human psychology. Through her art books, she teaches people/children how to increase the brains creativity and intellectual functionality. She see zentangle-doodling as the Ebola virus for the human brains and intellect, as it fail the brain's developmental process, stopping on its basic functions, which we see from those images that appear online and in those published booklets teaching nothing.

I thank you for your comments, but you leave us all frustrated with your anonymous commentary and lack of links to what you are referring to. I am not sure I agree, but I do feel that the trademarking of Zentangles is questionable as humans have been "doodling" [although Zentangle claims not be a doodle per se] and creating repetitive forms in service of self-soothing for thousands of years.

Zentangle is not just doodling. It is a set of patterns. Certain patterns. Not just any patterns. Anything outside of those patterns (there are hundreds) is NOT Zentangle but can is describe by diehard Zentanglers as ZIA (Zentangle inspired art) or simply just doodling.

First . . . Thank you, Cathy, for writing an article about the Zentangle Method which grasps much of what other articles often miss. I just saw your article today.

Second . . . As we write in our Policies Section, "We do not copyright our tangles . . ." We also do not trademark our tangles. This is a common misunderstanding. We more than agree with you that, "the trademarking of Zentangle [tangle]s is questionable . . ." We believe that patterns are our shared human heritage.

There is a small list of what we have trademarked, such as our name and our logo. But we have never trademarked patterns or our tangles, which we share freely on our website, newsletter and blog.

I am a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT®) I can tell you that I found this article quite good. I am a cancer patient and had 2 stem cell transplants at a cancer center in FL that have a program call Arts in Medicine. That is how I became familiar with Zentangle. I thought it was a wonderful way to help eliminate my pain. I started tangling on my own but really started to learn the methodology behind it when I took my first class with a CZT. I really didn't know as much as I thought I did! When I decided to become a teacher and learn from Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas, I realized that there was a whole lot more to Zentangle than I had thought! It irks me when someone calls it doodling, it's not! For those people who say it is a "virus" or that it is mindless, are most definitely mistaken!! I know that Zentangle has helped people bring out their creative side, even though they never realized they had one. I also know that it has helped many people (including myself) with focus, pain reduction, relaxation, coordination and many other healthy things. Do yourself a favor and go to www.zentangle.com and find a CZT near you. You will not be sorry!

I have read a few articles about the new popular art trend Zentangles and I have to say your article is especially fantastic. You really get to the point and explain it very well. I think - even though I have not tried my own hand at it YET - that it is an excellent healer for those who suffer health problems ie, anxiety, depression, any other mental health issues or physical health issues because it is such a "focused" art form. I understand it is also good for others who are stressed, tired, worried about problems they are facing etc. and for anyone who is just interested in looking to try something new. It is certainly not a waste of time and can not see it being pointless. Zentangles are a massive hit right now with all and I plan to try it out myself.

I love the Zentangle style of art so thanks for the article. I myself have started off slowly and even though I'm not very good, it's therapeutic. It's a doodlers dream! I take a bit of inspiration off an Aussie artist I found online that some others might like to check out: https://www.byronbaygifts.com.au/best-online-shopping/Homewares/Wall-Art-Prints
Happy drawing!